The Little Princess
by kingdomkeepers365
Summary: Snow White was able to make it through the wardrobe with her little Emma. Their life is simple, but full of love, and Emma has grown up learning her story and her destiny. Then, when she is 14, Emma meets Bae in school, a foster boy new to town. They become best friends, and they have more in common then they could ever know. Charming family eventual Swanfire. Multichap AU
1. A New Land

**A/N: Hello my little bowls of soup! Juliana speaking, known here and on Tumblr as kingdomkeepers365. This technically isnt my first ONCE multichap, but I deleted my first one due to the fact that I was neglecting it and events actually happening in the show made it pretty pointless. But that's not gonna happen here because this is a complete pre-show and season 1 AU! So ya. Let's just call this my first ONCE multichap. Planning another one as well. ope I can help you all through the hiatus! Enjoy!**

Snow White sat in the magical wardrobe, cradling her new baby in her arms. She could barely see anything through the blur of the hot tears that filled her eyes, but refused to spill out onto her cheeks. Her husband was standing in front of her, but he was practically a blur through the water blocking her vision. She had to see him one last time, one last time before she lost him for 28 years. So continuing to hold her baby with one hand, she took the other and forcefully wiped away her tears, and she saw him.

It took all that she had to not let her eyes fill up again. The magic wardrobe only took two. It was supposed to be the two of them that went inside together, but little Emma had come earlier than expected, and now Snow had to go away alone with their baby.

"She's supposed to come back on her 28th birthday" Snow said, barely able to get a word out. "I can't be without you for 28 years."

"I know" Charming said. "It will be hard. You're going to be an amazing mother. And in 28 years I will see you again, you and our beautiful baby girl." Snow felt her eyes filling again, and she had no control over it this time. Charming leaned down and kissed her, then Emma, on their heads. Then, as Snow screamed, he put his hands onto the wardrobe doors and locked them shut.

* * *

Snow found herself sitting by a tree in a forest. She didn't know where she was, or what this new world would hold. She felt tiny streams flowing down her face. The ducts had burst. The tears had left her eyes and had started to fall. She looked down at Emma, still in her arms. She saw that she was crying. Snow knew she had to be a mother now. She wiped away and controlled her tears as best she could and hugged her daughter tightly to her chest.

"Shhh Emma" she said. "It's okay. Your Mama's here"

Snow finally found her way out of the forest, Emma asleep in her arms. Her eyes grew wide. She didn't know what she was looking at. This world was clearly very different from her own. She wasn't familiar with the buildings, or the clothing, or even the ground. Everything was different. She was scared, but she knew she had to be brave. She had to get Emma someplace safe.

Still, how was she supposed to do even that? All of her money was back in the Enchanted Forest, and the currency was most likely different in this world. She would have no credentials, no record, in this world she didn't exist.

After walking for a while, she came across a building labeled _Portland Single Mother's Shelter. _Hoping the owners would allow her to stay, Snow walked up and knocked on the door. She heard the clicking of lock, and then watched as the door opened. A kind looking, middle aged woman with red hair stood before her.

"Hello" said Snow. "I was wondering if I would be able to stay here. I'm afraid I can't pay you, but…" she didn't even get to finish. The woman put a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes of course" she said. She put her hand on Snow's shoulder and led her inside. "We'll work out all of the details in the morning. It's late. You need rest. I'll bring you to your room."

"Thank You" Snow said.

"I'm Maggie" the woman said. "What's your name dear?"

Snow knew she had to think quickly. She didn't want to give her real name. Who knew how normal or abnormal it could be in this world? Who knew what it meant to people? Quickly, she thought back to the day when she had first met her best friend Red and was asked her name. Being on the run from the Queen, she had given a fake name then too, and that was the name, or rather names, that she chose to use now.

"Mary Margaret" she said. "My name is Mary Margaret. And this is my daughter Emma"

"It's nice to meet you Mary Margaret" Maggie said. She placed a hand on Snow's back and led her into a small bedroom. There was a young girl sleeping on a bed and a baby in a crib next to her.

"I'll get you a nightgown and some linens" Maggie continued. "In the morning they'll be fresh clothes laid out and breakfast in the kitchen. She left the room and came back a minute later with a white night gown and sheets for the bed and crib.

"Well, have a good night"

"Thank you" Snow said. Maggie left, quietly closing the door behind her. Snow put Emma in the crib, kissed her on the head and sat down on the bed.

What was this life she was getting herself into? She had only been in this world a few hours, and already she could tell how different it was. The clothing was different, the structures were different, the entire atmosphere was different. Everything about this world was unfamiliar and strange. She had nothing, including an identity. How was she supposed to make a life for her and little Emma?

**1 year later**

"Happy Birthday Emma" Snow said kissing her sleeping daughter on the head.

They were in an apartment below someone's house. In the year passed, Maggie and the other women who ran the shelter had helped Snow to get ID papers and a job. She was on financial aid, but at least now she and Emma had a place to live.

She felt a tear streak down her face. It was Emma's first birthday. This occasion was supposed to be commemorated with a big party. They should have been hosting a huge ball with all of their friends and family. She should have been able to give Emma her first tiara, not a small little teddy bear from a convenience store. Her husband was supposed to be with her as she leaned over Emma's crib, bidding her goodnight. Instead, they were alone in a small living space on someone else's property.

This world was so odd. It was nothing like what she knew. She had done a lot of reading about it in libraries, scouring through loads of volumes about anything she could find. It wasn't easy but she had definitely learned a lot. There were some things she still had trouble wrapping her head around: like the carriages that moved without horses, or the ice boxes. The most confusing was the moving, talking picture box. Still, she was figuring it all out.

The young princess wiped a tear from her eye, kissed her daughter on the head again and climbed into her own bed again, preparing to drift into a soft sleep.

Life was simple, life was confusing, but it was what she had. She knew things would get better for her and her little girl. She had hope.

**2 years later**

Emma was three years old. It had been 3 years since Snow White was ripped from everything she knew, her daughter being the only thing she had. Now she sat in her bed, Emma cuddled up next to her, stroking her golden blonde hair. She was telling her a story, like she did every night, a story about who she was.

"…so I trusted your daddy. And I let him kiss me again. And this time…" Snow said, in the midst of a tale. She was cut off by her daughter guessing how the story ended.

"You remembered him?" Emma said in her toddler babble.

"Yes!" Snow said. A huge grin lit up Emma's face.

"Just like when he woke you up from the sleeping curse!"

"Yes but that didn't happen yet." Snow said.

"Oh." Emma said. She sat there for a few more moments leaning into her mother. After a while, she broke the silence in the room.

"I wish daddy could kiss me" Emma said. Snow tried to hold back tears, hearing this come from her daughter.

"Me too Emma. Me too" she said solemnly. Then she clapped her hands. "Time for bed" she said.

"But I'm not tired" Emma whined, like any typical child.

"Well you need your rest because we're going to pick out a Christmas tree tomorrow." Emma sat up and looked at her mother, her face full of excitement.

"Really?!"

"Yes of course! We need to get this house looking festive."

"Lots of Tinsel and lights?"

"As much as we can afford Emma."

"Okay! Goodnight mama!" Emma stood on her tippy toes. Snow leaned down and Emma kissed her on the forehead. They always kissed each other on the forehead. It had become somewhat of a special thing between them.

Emma ran to her room, her socked feet bouncing on the floorboards. Snow smiled. Her little princess was so beautiful. She only wished that Charming could experience it with her.

* * *

The next morning, Snow held Emma's hand as they walked to the Christmas tree farm. The youngest of the two was skipping, her mary janes clip-clopping on the pavement.

"Mama what was Christmas like in your castle?" the excited youngster asked.

"Oh it was wonderful" Snow said. Emma looked up at her hopefully, her eyes full of anticipation.

"We always had a huge tree in the parlor. And there was garland and tinsel all over! And we used to have this big ball on Christmas eve, and everyone would be dancing all night long!" At this last line, Snow spun Emma around, as if they were really at the ball she described. Emma giggled. The smile on Snow's face was enormous, filled with the happy memories of a time not too long ago, before the curse destroyed everything.

"That sounds amazing mama!"

"Oh it was" Snow's smile shrunk when the memories faded, and she realized that that wasn't her life anymore. She was here, her husband and her friends were gone. But she managed not to let her heartache show, for Emma's sake.

"Now" she said. "Let's go get that tree" Emma smiled up at her mother and continued to skip along the sidewalk.

* * *

A few weeks later, it was Christmas Eve. Emma and Snow were eating sugar cookies as Emma watched the tape of Frosty the Snowman that they had rented from the library over and over on repeat.

As promised, the tree, along with the entire house, was covered in tinsel, garland, and every decoration imaginable. One time, in between viewings, Emma took a break to talk to her mother

"Were those Christmas eve balls you talked about fun Mama?" she asked.

"Very much so" Snow replied.

"I wish I could go to one" Emma said, looking down. Snow suddenly got an idea.

"Well why don't we have one right here, you and me" she said. Emma looked up, a look of pure wonder in her eyes

"Really?!"

"Ya! Go put one of your sundresses on. We'll have a fancy ball, just the two of us." Emma smiled and sprinted to her room, her feet pounding across the floor.

So the two princesses had a ball in their small little apartment. They drank apple juice in plastic champagne glasses, ate mini frozen pizzas for dinner and oreos for desert. In the middle of the winter, the mother and daughter danced around their living room in sundresses and sandals. They danced all night, just as it had happened at the castle balls.

They twirled. They skipped. They sang along to the Christmas carols. Eventually, after being all partied out, Emma fell asleep in her mother's arms on the couch. Snow picked her up and carried her to her bed where she tucked her in and kissed her on the forehead.

"Merry Christmas Emma" she whispered. Then she went to put the presents under the tree.

* * *

The next morning, Snow was abruptly awaken by the sound of Emma's feet pounding into her bedroom.

"Mama Mama wake up Santa came Santa came!" she shouted. Snow smiled and stretched out her arms. Before she got the chance to say or do anything, she found her three year old daughter jumping up and down on her bed.

"Alright Alright" Snow said. "Let mama get out of bed Emmy" Emma climbed down and stood at the edge of the bed bounding up and down, grinning from ear to ear. Snow got out of bed, stepped into her slippers, and put on her bathrobe. Emma grabbed her hand, and before she knew it, Emma was bounding, dragging her towards the living room.

"Emma slow down!" Snow said, but she couldn't help but laugh. Emma and Snow sat on the floor by the tree and Emma immediately began to tear into the presents.

There wasn't much. There was only so much that Snow could afford, but she tried to give Emma the best Christmas possible. There was a Barbie doll, a stuffed Frosty the Snowman, a pretend beauty kit and hair bows.

"Now Emmy that's all that Santa brought, but there's a present for you from me" She handed Emma a large rectangular box. Emma excitedly tore through the paper and threw open the cardboard box to reveal…

"A princess dress!" Emma squealed.

"So you can dress up like you were really back home. You're a princess Emmy, so you deserve to dress like one." Emma stood up, held the poofy white dress up to herself and twirled around.

"There's something else in there too" Snow said. Emma kneeled back down next to the box and pulled out a plastic tiara.

"I know it's not what you're really _supposed_ to have, but I still wanted to give you your first tiara. Plastic is not as good as diamonds but…." Emma cut her mother off by kissing her on the forehead and wrapping her arms around her neck.

"I love them mama thank you!" Snow smiled. "Wait here I have something for you!" Emma dashed to her room and came bouncing back. She handed her mother a rolled up piece of construction paper.

"I drew you a picture" she said. Snow unrolled the paper and tried not to cry. Emma had scribbled out a picture of a castle with three figures in front.

"It's you me and daddy" Emma said. "In front of our castle, like we will be one day." Snow hugged her daughter tightly and Emma giggled loudly.

"Come on let's have some breakfast" Snow said. "How about some Christmas tree pancakes?!"

"Ya ya!" Emma squealed. Emma grinned and jumped on the couch, admiring her new gifts. Princess Snow White looked at her daughter, so happy always. Maybe this life wasn't as bad as it seemed.

**A/N: So I hoped you like it! Let me note, and please don't let this turn you off. I tend to be really bad with updating. I'm trying to get better at that. Problem number one is I say I'm gonna work on these and then Tumblr happens. Other problems, to write well, at all, I have to be completely and totally in writing mode. Either I'm typing 100 words a minute or type one word and click out of the document. I also have another multichap that's official for a book seires and am planning another OUAT multichap. Whatevs. I promise I'll try my best. Just a casual reminder, this will eventually be a Swanfire story so if you don't like them, feel free to keep reading but no hate please. Hope you enjoy the story! I'm really excited about it. Bye!**

** -Kingdomkeepers365**


	2. Girls Nights, first days and presents

**A/N: Hello my little bowls of soup! Juliana here! SORRY It's been so long. I told you I'm really bad with updating fics! Anyway, hope you're all staying sane during the hiatus and warm during this brutal winter if you live here in the US. Well that's it I guess. I don't have much to say. Enjoy!  
**

It was now April of the next year. Emma was still three, and spring was starting to creep into Portland. The shelter where Snow and Emma had once lived had a free daycare service during the week, so Snow would drop Emma off there every morning and go to work. She ended her shift around five, when she would pick Emma up.

Today was Friday, and it was what Emma liked to call "Girl's Night". Snow would pick Emma up at the shelter and take her to the diner to have breakfast for dinner. Then they would go to the library and rent a movie. The ever-hyper Emma would often fall asleep before the movie ended. Also on girl's night, Snow would let Emma sleep in her bed with her. It was another one of their silly little traditions.

The air was cool, but pleasant as Emma and Snow walked to the diner. Emma held her mother with one hand and swung her favorite teddy bear from the other.

"Did you have fun today?" Snow asked

"Yes" Emma babbled, looking at the sidewalk as she skipped along.

"What did you do?"

"Well we watched a movie."

"Oh that's nice" Snow said. "What was it called?"

"Well they said it was called Snow White, but it couldn't have been. It was all wrong."

Snow knew this would arise someday. In her research, she had read about a company, after she had read about what a company was, called Disney. They were famous for making movies about fairytales. She had watched a few of the movies in the shelter when Emma was a baby. She knew the stories were wrong. Still, the basic details were correct, and she had no idea how people in this world heard about the stories. She knew that one day Emma would watch the movies herself, and with her perceptive wit, would pick out the mistakes.

"Well sometimes stories change when they get told from person to person Emma" Snow said.

"Oh" Emma replied. She seemed a bit upset. "It just, made me sad, because the real stories are so much better. The part about how you met daddy was all wrong, and there was nothing about your adventures, or rescuing each other, or any of the good stuff"

"I know. They used to play those movies in the shelter when you were a baby."

"So have you seen this one?" Emma asked.

"Yes. And I know that a lot of the details are wrong, but I know it still has your favorite part." Emma smiled

"Ya that's true. But your version of it is better."

"Did you still like the movie though?" Snow asked.

"Ya it was nice. Have you seen a lot of those movies Mama?"

"No, just a few." Snow thought for a second. "How about, when we go to rent a movie tonight, we get one of those!" Emma smiled again. Snow could tell by those eyes that she did like the movies. Or maybe she was just eager to find more mistakes.

Emma was very perceptive. She noticed things, and never hesitated to point them out. Still, maybe some of the movies could still elude her. There were so many stories that Snow had yet to tell her, either because she hadn't gotten to them yet, or she didn't think Emma was old enough to hear them. There was only so much that a three year old should know. She didn't need to hear yet about Red accidentally eating her boyfriend.

That night, Emma and Snow were cuddled next to each other on the couch, watching "Sleeping Beauty". A half-finished bowl of popcorn sat between them, spare pieces littering the floor. On the coffee table in front of them sat two mugs of hot chocolate with cinnamon. Emma watched intently as Prince Phillip woke up Aurora with true love's kiss.

"Look Mama!" she said. "It's just like you and Daddy!"

"Yes I suppose it is" Snow replied.

"Except your story is better" Snow smiled at Emma and began to tickle her belly. Emma giggled more and more loudly until he was screaming with laughter. Once the excitement died down, Emma continued to ask questions.

"Mama did you ever meet Princess Aurora?" she said.

"No" Snow said. "But I've heard of her. Last I heard she wasn't under a sleeping curse though"

"Well maybe the movie got it _really_ wrong."

"Maybe"

A few minutes later the film's credits flashed across the screen. Emma let out a huge yawn.

"Alright missy" Snow said. "Now it's time for _you _to go to sleep."

"But I'm not tired" Emma whined as she let out another yawn and struggled to keep her eyelids lifted.

"Sure you aren't" Snow said. She picked Emma up in her arms. The little princess almost immediately fell asleep on her mother's shoulder. Snow placed her in the large bed and turned off the light, then crawled in next to her and held her close, as they both escaped into their dreams.

Except Snow didn't sleep, at least not much. Sometimes she tried, but she didn't stay under for very long. It wasn't the sleeping curse. Those fears had ended long ago. Every time she went to sleep, she saw her husband closing the doors of the wardrobe. She couldn't bear it. She woke up sweating and crying every time. It was a restless life, and there were still 25 years let until her family was reunited. Even then, Emma still had to break the curse, and who knew what she'd have to do?

She looked at Emma fast asleep next to her. Wiping away her tears she squeezed her tightly, and closed her eyes, hoping maybe this time the nightmares wouldn't come.

* * *

**1 year later**

It was September and Emma was four. Snow had taken the day off from her job as a secretary for this special occasion. Mother and daughter stood in front of a large building amongst a large crowd of parents and children.

Snow straightened out Emma's dress and hair.

"Now remember Emma" she said. "Be a good girl. And don't be afraid to say hello to people. Make friends"

"I know Mama" Emma giggled. "You've been telling me all week." Snow felt her eyes growing moist.

"I know" she said. "You're just, growing up so fast." A tear trickled down her cheek.

"Why are you crying mama?" Emma asked.

"All parents cry on their kid's first day of school sweetie."

"Well don't mama. I'll be home before you know it!" Just then the kindergarten teacher stepped out from the door.

"Alright children!" she called. "Line up its time to come inside!" Snow handed Emma her lunch box.

"Thanks Mama!" Emma said. Then she began to skip to the door. Suddenly she stopped and turned around.

"I almost forgot" she said. Quickly, she ran to Snow and wrapped her arms around her, burying her head in her mother's waist.

"Bye!" Emma giggled. Then she ran off again.

"Be good Emma!" Snow called.

"I will!" she replied

"Be careful!"

"I know!"

"Emma!" Snow called. Emma turned around. She was about to call out yet another caution. Then she looked into her daughter's eager eyes, full of happiness and excitement. With tears building up yet again she muttered "Have fun." Emma smiled and joined the line of children.

Snow watched until she went inside, waved at her one last time, then walked home, letting the tears fall down her cheeks.

* * *

One month later, Snow was running around the apartment hanging up decorations. A chocolate cinnamon cake was baking in the oven and she had just called in an order for pizza. It was Emma's fifth birthday, and they were having a party. Emma skipped excitedly around the house, when the doorbell rang.

"YAY!" Emma squealed. She bounced from foot to foot in front of the door, anxious to see which of her school friends had arrived to the party.

Snow walked over, smiled at her and opened the door. Upon doing so, she was surprised to see that no one was there. She looked confused until Emma pointed at the floor and shouted.

"Look!" she said. Snow looked down and saw a rectangular package wrapped in metallic pink paper. Carefully, she reached down and picked it up. She looked for a tag and realized that there wasn't one.

"Who's it from Mama?" Emma said.

"I don't know"

"Well let's open it!" she squealed.

"Ya" Snow said, still confused. She and her daughter walked over to the couch and sat down. She put the present in Emma's lap.

"Go ahead" she said. "Unwrap it." Emma smiled and began to tear away at the paper. When she finally finished, she revealed a large brown book. It said nothing, nothing but a title: Once Upon a Time.

"It's a storybook mama!" Emma said.

"Is there a card in there?" Snow asked. "Does it say who it's from?"

"No" Emma said flipping through the pages. Briefly she stopped on something. Then she spoke again. "But look mama! Someone finally got the story right!"

"What?"

"The story, about you and daddy, someone got it right." She leaned over to show her mother the picture she was looking at. "See there's you and him at the troll bridge. And the picture looks just like you."

Snow grabbed the book from her daughter's lap and looked at the page she was referring to. There it was, printed in ink, the correct story about her life. This was strange. Throughout her time in this world, she had scoured through different collections of stories. She had seen many re-tellings of her story, but none were correct. None of them until now.

Snow continued to flip through the pages, just to make sure this wasn't a coincidence. Sure enough, she saw it all. There was the story about Regina and Daniel. There was a picture of her and Red, standing together in the forest. She kept flipping and flipping, finding more and more accurate stories. Finally, she stumbled upon a photo that made her heart stop. There was a picture of her husband, putting her and Emma into the wardrobe. Almost immediately, she gasped and slammed the book shut.

"What's wrong mama?" Emma asked.

"Nothing" Snow said, shaking off her anger for her daughter. "Why don't you go put the book in your room?"

"Okay!" Emma shouted. She grabbed her new gift and bounded off to put it under her pillow.

Snow continued to sit and stare at the wall for a moment, reflecting on what she had just experienced. How was it possible that someone else knew the true stories of her world? And how was it that this book just appeared at her doorstep? Snow wanted to say she was excited, but frankly, she was just scared.

**A/N:Well that's it! I know its a bit short, but I felt like that last paragraph was a good way to end it. The updating thing might get better once I reach Bae's entrance, because I pretty much know a lot of things I want to do from there. I'm pretty lost right now. Anyway, I'm wondering if there's something you'd be interested in. I did it in one of my previous multichaps. I provide a trivia question about ANYTHING at the end of each chapter, first three to give the correct answer get a sneak peek of the next chapter in a PM. I could also do gifset chapter previews on Tumblr as well, video trailers. Idk, let me know your thoughts. Theres a lot of stuff I can do. I like to get interacvtive. K bye!  
**

** -Kingdomkeepers365**


End file.
